Leadership Lessons: Chip Paucek, CEO of 2U

There's no one "right" way to lead a business. Today's leaders have a lot of wisdom to impart about managing the modern workforce, because each one approaches leadership in his or her own unique way. Every week, Business News Daily will share a leadership lesson from a successful business owner or executive.

The leader: Chip Paucek, CEO and co-founder of 2U Inc.

Time in current position: 8 years

Chip's philosophy: "Drive. Push boundaries, take action, make decisions fast, and get past mistakes even faster." (Click to tweet)

Paucek explains the experiences that helped form his personal leadership philosophy:

"I have spent over 20 years bringing companies to life in the education industry. I am currently the CEO at 2U Inc., a company I co-founded in 2008 and took public in 2014.

"2U powers online degree programs by partnering with top colleges and universities such as UNC, NYU, Georgetown, Syracuse, USC and others ... so they can offer more students than ever access to transformative education. We are proving that online education can deliver outcomes for students that equal or surpass what is offered on campus.

"How did we get here? The answer is simple: drive. We are relentlessly focused on our mission of driving student outcomes. Results, outcomes, impact. All of these things are important and they take drive. Each and every day. Drive turns ideas into action. It helps us face challenges. It makes us resilient. As long as we maintain this focus and drive, we will continue to build the world's best online education programs.

"I often remind myself and others that, 'Every day's a holiday, every meal's a feast.' And that's the flip side of drive — the realization that, as you're moving forward, often at a breakneck speed, you must do it with purpose and passion, and cherish the moments and the people that make it all worth it. Drive only works when the passengers enjoy the journey. Put people around you who treasure the journey, and celebrate it as you go."

Nicole Fallon Taylor

Nicole received her Bachelor's degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She began freelancing for Business News Daily in 2010 and joined the team as a staff writer three years later. She currently serves as the assistant managing editor. Reach her by email, or follow her on Twitter.